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2021 Qualifiers

latingringo101

Juniors
Messages
585
The passions driving enigmatic Chile Rugby League skipper

HOME / CHILE / THE PASSIONS DRIVING ENIGMATIC CHILE RUGBY LEAGUE SKIPPER

NOVEMBER1
THE PASSIONS DRIVING ENIGMATIC CHILE RUGBY LEAGUE SKIPPER
BY ROBERT BURGININ
CHILEFEATUREDHOT NEWSIN FOCUSLATEST NEWSUNCATEGORIZED
Chile has named a 183cm, 120kg, fair-skinned, heavily-tattooed walking enigma to captain its history-making rugby league team in the upcoming Americas Cup.

Indeed, nothing is how it first seems with Nicholas Doberer.

To look at Doberer, you wouldn’t guess he is a goal-kicker, a playmaker, speaks Spanish and is a devoted family man.

The 28-year-old will lead Chile into an unprecedented World Cup qualifier against the USA on November 13 at Jacksonville, Florida – but not before playing ‘Daddy Daycare’ with his son I’luka for eight days solo.

“Haha, yeah my partner Tahnee has gone overseas with her friends, so it’s just me and the little fellow together,” he says ahead of his departure to the northern hemisphere.

“It’s good. Tahnee deserves a break after everything she’s done. Being a mother isn’t easy.

“And for me, I get to spend some quality one-on-one time with my son.”

Although conversing in English, Doberer is equally confident speaking the language he was nurtured in from his first footsteps, Espanol.

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He has his mother Veronica’s maiden name – Figueroa – tattooed in thick gothic lettering down his lengthy legs.

“I believe Spanish was my first language,” he reveals.

“All my aunties, wider family and family friends used to speak Spanish whenever we had get-togethers as a kid.”

Doberer was born in the unlikely location of Nambour, on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, a city famous for its Big Pineapple and abundant sugar cane farms.

That came to be after his mother decided to leave her native Chile at age 28 to meet nieces and nephews and undertake an adventure on the opposite side of the Pacific.

Back home in Chile’s capital of Santiago, Doberer’s grandfather Fernando represented football (soccer) team Club Deportivo University Catolica, a fact Nick remains extremely proud of.

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However, the youngster grew up as more a fan of rugby league’s Brisbane Broncos, and it was the 13-man game which held his interest all throughout his formative years.

“We moved to Sydney…it was just me and my Mum for most of my childhood,” Nick says.

“I signed up with Leichhardt Juniors, then Leichhardt Wanderers, then I played one game for Clovelly Crocodiles before breaking my collarbone and I gave up the sport for a while.”

Doberer was lured back to rugby league when he read about an organisation that was encouraging people from South and Central American backgrounds to take up the sport – Latin Heat.

He soon became a popular member of the organisation, and after being a fullback and five-eighth in his youth, found himself thrust into the forwards.

Doberer was a strong performer in Chile’s international debut, a 58-20 win against El Salvador, and has collected numerous awards since.

He is fully aware that people will question how a pale-skinned boy who lives in Sydney’s eastern suburbs can skipper Chile, but he also knows how deep his passion runs.

“I’ve always been in touch with my Chileno essence,” says Doberer.

“It isn’t something that just came along because of rugby league, although I love all the friends I’ve made through it.

“Mum is over the moon about me playing for Chile, but I haven’t told her I’m captain yet.

“My mates love the fact too.”

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Doberer has enjoyed extended trips to Chile three times, but was absent last year when the Weichafes claimed the Latin American Championship to progress to the World Cup qualifiers.

He stayed at home so he could help raise I’luka in his pivotal first few months of life.

In preparation of the assignment in Florida, Doberer ordered custom-made boots with the Chilean flag and his surname embossed on them.

“We have been strong against other Latin American countries, but we know this will be a difficult assignment facing guys who have experience at the professional level,” Doberer says.

“My message to our boys is to go their strong-minded, with your head held up high, not back down and do our best.

“It’s a foot in the door for Latin America. We are creating history.”

CHILE 21-MAN TRAIN-ON SQUAD
Chris Brantes (Alexandria Rovers), Mana Castillo-Sioni (Botany Rams RLFC), Jonathan Espinoza (Bulimba Valleys Bulldogs RLFC), Iziah Esera Catrileo, Bradley Millar, Trent Millar (Brothers Mustangs RLFC), Nick Doberer (Canterbury RUFC), Thomas Garrido, James Horvat (Corrimal Cougars RLFC), Jaden Laing (Davenport University), Francisco Leiva (Maquinarias RLFC), Piero Diaz (Mariman RLFC), Patrick Caamano (Mounties), Taylor Salas (Ngen Mapu RLFC), Jose Nitor-Alvear (Queanbeyan Kangaroos RLFC), Ferec Cabezas (Rhinos RLFC), Brandon Tobar (Riverstone Razorbacks RLFC) Junior Sandoval (Sunbury Tigers RLFC), Zecil Yao (Toros RLFC), Eduardo Wegener (West Belconnen Warriors RLFC), Eugene Araya (Western Sydney University Ducks RLFC)

http://latinheatrl.com/passions-driving-enigmatic-chile-rugby-league-skipper/
 

Irish-bulldog

Juniors
Messages
785
Scotland don’t deserve a World Cup spot because they refuse to do anything domestically, I hope the countries investing in domestic leagues and producing players get rewarded with a World Cup spot. It’s how union started , short term pain in world cups for long term gain
 

siv

First Grade
Messages
6,546
So France qualify and Scotland into the Euro repocharge

Next weeks winner of Ireland and Wales qualify and loser back to repocharge
 

titoelcolombiano

First Grade
Messages
5,276
Ireland have been impressive. Good to see France step up and dominate at this level like they should, we are so used to disappointment from them.
 
Messages
11,354
France became the ninth nation to qualify for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup as they beat a spirited Ireland side 24-10 in Santry.

Les Chanticleers needa point at home to Scotland next week to claim their first European Championship title since 2011, after overcoming the Wolfhounds 24-10 at the Morton Stadium.

The significant damage was done in the first half when, with the strong Santry wind behind them, France posted 18 points without reply, Ireland at one stage clinging on when heroically defending six consecutive sets.

With the elements in their favour in the second period, the Wolfhounds turned it into a contest when impressive Ethan Ryan went over, but Alrix da Costa’s second touchdown, darting over from acting half back, settled the contest and sparked celebrations that France would be competing for the Paul Barriere trophy in three years’ time.

Their skipper Jason Baitieri commented: “The primary objective was to qualify for the 2021 World Cup and that’s done and, hopefully, with a good crowd behind us in Carcassonne, we should be looking to finish this tournament on a high.

“We started the game well and controlled it the way we wanted to, but Ireland showed a lot of heart in the second half so I’m proud of our effort and commitment.

“The French Federation has put a lot into getting to the World Cup, the infrastructure is developing, we are heading in the right direction and we want to go there and be really competitive.”

Lewis Bienek was strong for the hosts in the early stages, Scott Grix with the first half break and Jack Higginson cleverly keeping the ball in play, but Ireland were penalised at marker, Mickael Goudemand went close and da Costa burrowed his way over from close in; Tony Gigot converting.

Romain Navarrete led the charge downfield and, on the back of a 20-metre drop out, Gigot’s long pass on the last tackle saw Paul Marcon over out wide; Gigot wayward with the extras.

Ryan was deemed to have taken the ball dead, Lucas Albert was held up and Ireland were penalised as Gigot and Rhys Curran worked a run-around, Gigot converting the penalty to make it 12-0 to the visitors in the 17th minute.

Ireland were their own worst enemies, losing possession cheaply, giving away penalties and conceding a drop-out from Theo Fages’ kick, yet looking like they’d survived seven minutes of intense pressure thanks to a mammoth defensive effort.

The contest swung when the hosts partially stopped, thinking Morgan Escare had knocked on, Fages breaking into the clear with a lovely step and judging his kick perfectly for Bastien Ader to gather and power over the top of Grix; Gigot adding the extras.

Ryan looked like he might have had some joy from a Finn cross kick just before the break, but Escare forced a turnover in a fascinating wing duel.

At the start of the second half, on the back of another big run from George King, Finn’s kick was reeled in by Ryan’s leap and twist over in the corner, Finn wide with the goal attempt, but that left-sided route becoming the host’s modus operandi.

It nearly worked again soon after but Grix couldn’t reel in Ryan’s inside pass and Albert broke clear, Higginson’s kick down the line just finding touch ahead of Ryan’s sprint.

Finn found 60 metres on a penalty with the wind behind but Ader covered the danger, Gigot darting out of dummy half and winning a penalty for a flop 30 metres out.

Curran went close from it, and da Costa’s jinking feet did the rest.

With eight minutes to play, Ireland fashioned a potential lifeline, Dec O’Donnell releasing Finn who found Greg McNally, Grix grubbering for the line and the chasing McNally gathering to score; Finn reducing the gap to 14 points.

That’s how it ended, although Ireland’s spirit was summed up late on when Escare broke clear over 80 metres but was reeled in by Ed O’Keefe.

With their superior points’ difference, Ireland need only a draw in Wrexham next week to ensure World Cup qualification.

“We wanted to win the tournament but it’s out of our hands now,” said Ireland head coach Stuart Littler.

“We showed some resilience and character, but the first half took too much out of our tanks.

“In the second half, we didn’t execute as well as we’d practiced but full respect to the boys, they turned up and had a dig.”

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/france-secure-2021-world-cup-qualification/
 

Force

Juniors
Messages
343
I hope both Spain and Russia make it over Scotland. I don’t mean to bash Scotland but I’m missing a World Cup is what they deserve
Whats puzzling is the ones who miss out (like Scotland) and the Americas (Jamaica or Canada) get a second chance by going into a World Cup repechage tournament. They have two bites of the pie whilst others only have one.
 

langpark

First Grade
Messages
5,867
Whats puzzling is the ones who miss out (like Scotland) and the Americas (Jamaica or Canada) get a second chance by going into a World Cup repechage tournament. They have two bites of the pie whilst others only have one.
It's not puzzling at all. They are higher ranked than the likes of Greece, Spain, Russia etc. Losing to France and Wales, is not the same as losing to Malta or Czech Republic. So there's nothing wrong with them still being alive after this phase of qualifying.
 

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